


no one sleeps when i'm awake

by earlofcardigans



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/F, Insomnia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-09
Updated: 2013-01-09
Packaged: 2017-11-24 08:01:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/632220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/earlofcardigans/pseuds/earlofcardigans
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Natasha can't sleep.</p>
<p>Written for fandom_stocking.</p>
            </blockquote>





	no one sleeps when i'm awake

**Author's Note:**

  * For [havocthecat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/havocthecat/gifts).



Natasha can’t sleep.

And because Natasha can’t sleep, Pepper can’t sleep.

And when Pepper is awake, Darcy is awake.

And because Darcy is awake, Jane is up.

Natasha shakes her head at that. Not true. Jane is always awake. She’s Tony-awake most times, not Natasha-insomniac usually. She works constantly. It’s kind of adorable when she gets really tired and starts babbling about rainbows in her physics talk.

Well, Darcy assures Natasha that it’s adorable.

Natasha takes her word for it because it makes Pepper smile indulgently.

But back to the problem.

Everyone is fucking awake and it’s three fifty-three in the morning. Natasha can’t sleep, doesn't even want to try really. The nightmares are under the surface and too clear, and despite Pepper’s warm hands and solid presence behind her, around her, she can’t shake them off and fall back under.

Clint understands. But Natasha doesn’t want to wake him up just to keep her company after she convinces Pepper and Jane and Darcy to go back to bed.

Natasha sprawls on the small couch, let’s Darcy and Jane take up the big couch. Pepper is in the kitchen making some of that strange tea Betty brought her.

Supposedly, Natasha will be asleep in minutes after drinking it.

She remains dubious.

Darcy asks her a question, but Natasha can’t talk. She’s stuck in the space between where it takes too much energy to form thoughts meant for other people and where thinking up real words makes her angry.

She feels Pepper move behind her and anticipates her tea mug. She hears Pepper say something to Darcy in her low, even tones.

Jane laughs in a tired way.

Natasha stares at the bottom of her tea mug and thinks about puppies.

Well, she thinks about Harry Potter and that movie with the fortune teller, which makes her think about that red-haired boy, which makes her think of dogs making Harry Potter sad.

She blames Clint for that. And silently curses him for sleeping and incepting her with Harry Potter references for every goddamn thing.

Because Pepper watches, Natasha drinks her tea.

And because Darcy watches, she pretends to like it so when Darcy inevitably tries it out on Jane, she can say ‘Well Natasha drank it without complaining about the taste.’

If she weren’t so tired, she’d be really fucking smug in advance. But, you know, to herself.

Pepper takes her tea mug, puts it on the table and accepts Darcy’s laptop all with such grace that Natasha has to be jealous. It’s four in the morning. No one should look that beautiful handling electronics at four in the morning.

“Darcy found you something.”

Pepper leans in close to her, puts the laptop on her thighs and hits a button or two.

“Puppy cam!” Darcy is too happy for four in the morning. She must have gotten the triple-caffeinated coffee out for this one.

“Even you can like puppies, Romanov.” Natasha looks at Jane without moving her head. Jane shrugs. “I mean, they may not put you to sleep, but at least you’ll be happier. Even you can’t resist.”

“Shut up, Foster.” Natasha leans her head back on the couch and doesn’t watch the puppies. “Shut the fuck up, Foster. And I like the fish.”

Pepper hands the laptop back over to Darcy and slides her arm around Natasha’s waist, pulls her closer.

When Natasha opens her eyes again, there are freshwater fish as big as cars swimming calmly in front of her face.

Natasha sighs and leans her head on Pepper’s shoulder.

“Why are you always here when I can’t sleep?” She whispers. Not that she means to, but whatever, it’s so late.

“Because you need us.” She thinks that’s Darcy, but it’s also a whisper. She doesn’t want to be superhuman enough to find out right now.

“But you’re always here.” No one ever accused Natasha of being not stubborn.

“We take turns. We sleep. Everyone needs help now and then.” Pepper rests her cheek on top of Natasha’s head. She knows how much help they all need. How draining they all are on each other.

But Pepper should sleep.

The fish should sleep. Puppies are usually always asleep.

Darcy has circles under her eyes.

“Support staff for dysfunctional superheroes.” Natasha tips sideways into Pepper and pulls her feet up under her. She’s curling into a ball, protecting herself, readying for sleep.

“Everyone needs someone behind the scenes.” Jane sounds drunk, then smushed into the big couch.

“Making sure they sleep.” Darcy kicks her feet onto the coffee table and takes her computer back.

“Bringing them tea.” Natasha hears that song, the French one, that Steve always like to hear when he has had to do something awful that day.

“Watching out for them.” Pepper kisses the top of her hair.

Natasha sleeps.

And because Natasha sleeps, Pepper sleeps.

And because Pepper sleeps, Darcy is asleep.

And because of Darcy, Jane fell asleep first.


End file.
